Milford Haven (Wales) | A Return to the International Appalachian Trail - Day 75 & 76

I pass this building under renovation on my way to the bus station. The barrier catches my attention. I stop to ponder what The World Reimaged would look like. Is it even possible to reimagine the world, or will solutions lead us to the same place because of the constraints of our minds? 

At around 330 pm, I make my way to the bus station. I open up my phone, double-check my ticket, and immediately laugh. My trips with National Express bus lines have not gone well. Of course, this time it is my fault. The ticket I booked to Milford Haven, now that I am actually reading it, says Pembroke Dock, Wales. Unfortunately, when I keyed in Milford Haven, the site apparently booked the closest destination. I spend a few minutes looking for local buses that connect the two. No Joy! My options are to walk or book a taxi for the 7 miles (11 km). The bus finally arrives 30 minutes late. Let's see how I feel when I get there.

The bus ride is flat awful. I try opening the laptop and quickly put it away. I am going to get sick. The road is windy, but the driver isn't helping. His driving technique sucks! Gas-Breaks-Gas-Breaks. About halfway through the ride and I am feeling nauseous. In the distance, we pass Carew Castle. Unfortunately, I am on the wrong side of the bus, a magnificent and enormous castle. So I make a mental note to include it here. Next, we pass a second castle, Pembroke Castle, which is equally stunning in stature. Below is a picture of the Welsh countryside I took from the bus.

When I get off the bus at Pembroke Dock, I am not feeling good. So I decide some fresh air would do me good and start walking to Milford Haven. Once across the Claddeau River, I pause to take this picture of the Westfield Pill, a tidal harbor.

As the sun sets, a gentleman driving a red pickup truck stops to tell me he had difficulty seeing me while I was walking. I stop to look for a headlamp. It is buried in the bottom of my bag. Instead, I switch my shirt to my bright orange sun shirt, hoping that will help me be more visible. I spend the remainder of the walk zig-zagging across the narrow road, switching sides whenever I hear a car coming. The walk to the hotel takes 2.5 hours, and I arrive around 940 pm. 

I wake up early. The bus to Dale, Wales, my starting point, only runs 3X per day. If I miss the first bus at 922 am, I must wait until 130 pm. I have breakfast at the hotel and leave at around 9 am after stretching. The bus stop isn't far, and a grocery store is on the way. By the time I grab my items, the line at the grocery store is 10 deep. The old lady at the counter is scratching her lotto tickets, and the clerk is back and forth between getting additional tickets. I look at my phone at 915 am. Son of a Bitch! I put everything down and walk to the bus. Along the way, I laugh. I let my frustration get the best of me. I am irritated with myself for not allowing myself more time, yet people in the store likely interpreted it as me being frustrated at the old lady or the clerk. I have limited food and no water for a 13 mi (21 km) hike with my pack. Fortunately, I catch the local bus and am going to Dale. I know the trail always provides, and it will work out. So I enjoy the 40 min bus ride. 

I step off the bus in Dale, round the corner, and the trail provides me with a tiny beach cafe. I buy some water, a snickers bar, and greek sausage wraps for the road. A beautiful and unexpected gift! Google showed no amenities here.

The beach at Dale. A group of kids is taking windsurfing lessons as I start heading down the Pembrokeshire Coastal Trail (behind me in this photo).

As I pass one of my first gates, I notice a familiar sign, The International Appalachian Trail.

As Christine said, the other post is marked with Pembrokeshire Coastal Trail marker, the iconic acorn.

I enjoy today's hike, even though it rains most of the time. Unfortunately, the coastal fog keeps me from truly enjoying the full beauty of the area. What little I can see looks beautiful!

I pause to take a break. The fog lifts, and the Irish Ferry passes by on its way to Pembrokeshire.

Another beautiful part of the coast with a lighthouse in the distance.

On several occasions, I notice grey seals bobbing in the surf along the coastline. I also passed several secluded beaches. However, when I reach this bench with a plaque that reads "Joshua," I stop. Joshua is my brother's name. I think of him while I take a much-needed break. A gift from the trail. I am grateful.

When I reach the head of Martin's Haven, I glance down into the bay and notice several grey seal moms and their white pups sunning on the beach. I laugh. To be honest, they look as if they are dead and washed ashore.

Another great shot of the fantastic Welsh coastline.

The sunshine only lasts a little bit. By the time I reach my campsite, I am tired. I haven't carried my pack this far in over a month. My legs feel great, and my feet are tired. Both pluses. I have a sore and angry left trapezius muscle near my neck. Overall, a good day! I am glad to be calling it a night, though. Below is the view from my campsite. What a fantastic viewQ When I finish my shower, the clouds have rolled back in. Yes, the campgrounds here have showers!

The closest grocery store is about 2 mi away and already closed. I head for Marloes, hoping to grab a bite to eat. After a 30-40 min walk. No Joy! The only restaurant in town doesn't do takeaway, and all their tables are full for the night. So I return and evaluate my food stash. I have enough food for a very light dinner, consisting of a cereal bar and mango-peach baby food pouch. I don't have much for the morning either. We'll see what tomorrow brings.